Do you want to live a more sustainable life, but don’t know where to start? We will show you how to create a sustainable laundry routine.
I am on a journey to live a more sustainable life and reduce the impact I have on our planet. I do this by swapping to more eco-friendly products, but also by looking at my various routines of doing things.
One area where you can make a big difference is your laundry routine. While washing your clothes and other textiles is a necessity, there are things you can do to make the process greener.
And the good news is, that none of them involve handwashing your laundry like in the old days. Just in case you were wondering.
In this complete guide we will show you that creating a sustainable laundry routine isn’t complicated, expensive or more work and effort. You just have to make a few small changes that will make a big difference.
Creating A Sustainable Laundry Routine Made Simple
By following these 10 simple steps you can easily create an eco-friendly laundry routine that will help you live a more sustainable life.
But it can also save you money and reduce the amount of work doing your laundry can cause. Even more reason to look into creating a sustainable laundry routine, right?
- Think before you wash
- Wash at low temperatures
- Use eco-friendly laundry detergents
- Ditch fabric softener
- Air dry whenever possible
- Reduce plastic pollution through microfiber shedding
- Avoid ironing where possible
- Avoid using dry cleaners
- Get a more energy efficient washing machine
- Look at getting a heat pump dryer
It might look like a lot of changes at first glance, but trust me, it’s actually quite simple.
Let’s look at each of the steps for creating a sustainable laundry routine in more detail, and you’ll see it’s no big deal at all.
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1. Think Before You Wash
One way to reduce the environmental impact of your laundry routine is by washing less. So before you put anything in your laundry basket, think: does it really need washing?
There aren’t many things that need washing after one use. Underwear, socks and sports clothes are the exception. These should be washed after every use.
But any other clothes, such as jeans, jumpers or even t-shirts, can be worn several times before they need cleaning.
Of course if you have to run for the bus, train or tube on a hot summer’s day and then sit there sweltering during your commute home, you might want to put the clothes you’re wearing in the laundry basket.
But these are exceptions not the norm. If your top has a stain from last night’s meal, spot clean it, rather than throwing it into the washing machine.
Washing less will also be better for your clothes, because washing clothes makes them deteriorate quicker. As a result, they will last longer, which is better for your purse and the environment.
If your clothes aren’t dirty, you might want to freshen them up a bit to wear them again. Just hang them out for a few hours and they will smell lovely and fresh.
Or you can use this very simple ingredient to make smells disappear from your clothes. You might even have it in your kitchen cupboard: baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, as it is also known.
Baking soda is well known for its ability to absorb odours. All you have to do is put two tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda in a spray bottle, add water and spray your clothes.
Leave them for about 20 minutes, by which time it should also be dry, then brush off any backing soda residue, and you are good to go.
Leather and silk can be a bit sensitive, so you might want to avoid using this on these textiles.
As part of washing less, you should also try to always have a full load when using your washing machine. This will reduce the amount of energy and water you use and therefore reduce your carbon footprint.
But what about my smelly gym clothes, I hear you ask. I get it, you don’t want your sweaty sports garments to sit there for days becoming more stinky every day.
Baking soda to the rescue! Make a paste of this odour-busting powder and water; you will need quite a lot. Work the past through your smelly gym clothes, so the baking soda is everywhere.
Then leave it until you have a full load. The soda will remove the odours. Just brush off the remnants of the bicarbonate of soda and throw the clothes into the washing machine.
2. Wash At Low Temperatures
You probably have already heard about this, and it’s an essential part of creating a sustainable laundry routine.
The main energy usage of your washing machine is heating up the water. The hotter you wash, the more energy the washing machine uses. Ideally, you want to wash in cold water or up to 30°C (86°F).
Also, choose shorter wash cycles, because this will again reduce the amount of energy and water your machine uses.
But will your clothes get clean with cold water? Surely, only hot water will work?
Scientists have looked at that and have shown that washing your clothes in cold water is just as effective as washing with hot water to remove stains.
That’s probably because it’s not the water but the laundry detergent that removes the stains. But what about bacteria?
The common rule is that to get rid of bacteria and germs you have to wash at 60°C (140°F). It’s one of those myths that has a grain of truth in it.
There are bacteria that can only be killed in hot water, some can even survive 60°C. But unless you are doing the laundry for your local hospital, you shouldn’t worry too much about bacteria.
We are all too prone to think that we have to remove all bacteria from our presence. Yes, there are bacteria and germs that can cause you to get ill.
But unless someone is actually ill in your household, the risk is very low. Let’s be sensible here.
Generally, washing at 30°C is safe, especially because your detergent will also help to get rid of some bacteria.
If you’re washing someone’s clothes or bedsheets who is ill, then you might want to take extra precautions.
Washing in cold water and shorter cycles will benefit the environment in other ways too. According to a study by scientists of the University of Leeds, it will help to make your clothes last longer and reduce the release of microfibres into the water.
Both these things benefit our environment, because one we need to buy fewer new clothes and secondly there is less plastic pollution.
3. Use Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent
One very important factor for creating a sustainable laundry routine is using an eco-friendly laundry detergent. Most commonly used detergents use chemicals that are harmful to our environment.
These chemicals aren’t just toxic to aquatic life but also humans. And most of them have been made from fossil fuels, which is not sustainable at all.
There are plenty of UK-based brands out there that focus on eco-friendly laundry products and who only use non-toxic chemicals.
And don’t worry about effectiveness, because these eco-friendly laundry products work just as well as your big brands who use harsh chemicals.
The other advantage of these sustainable laundry detergents is that they also come in eco-friendly packaging. You can ditch the nasty chemicals and the plastic waste too.
Top-Rated Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergents
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 | Great | Outstanding | Excellent | 4.85/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
4. Skip Using Fabric Softener
Fabric Softener is one of the laundry products that divides opinions. Some say they are not necessary, others think that they are.
It’s a preference I would say, but conventional fabric softeners you buy in the supermarket contain a lot of harmful chemicals. They are known to be toxic to aquatic life.
These chemicals are also made from petroleum, which is a fossil fuel. And on top of that, they come in plastic bottles.
If you feel you need a fabric softener, use white vinegar. It has the same softening effect without all the environmental impact. And I promise your laundry won’t smell of vinegar; any slight smell will disappear quickly.
5. Let Your Laundry Air Dry Whenever Possible
Tumble dryers are very convenient, but they also have a big environmental impact, because of the amount of energy they use.
That’s why, when creating a sustainable laundry routine, you should avoid using a dryer whenever possible. Instead, hang your washing up to dry.
I love to hang out my laundry to be dried in the fresh air and do it as much as I can. Of course, when it rains or in the colder months when humidity levels are higher, this is not really an option.
I have invested in laundry drying racks that make it easier to hang up socks and underwear, because it takes up less space when I hang up my washing in the house in winter.
I also have a clothes horse which fits most of my laundry. Only big towels and bedsheets won’t fit on it. These I still have to dry in the dryer if I can’t hang them out.
But because I don’t have to wash these every day, I only need to use the drier twice a week for a few months.
While it’s not perfect, it has reduced the amount I use it by a lot.
6. Reduce Plastic Pollution
You may have heard of microfibres. These are tiny pieces of plastic fibre that are shed by our textiles whenever we wash them.
Like microplastics, microfibres cause a lot of harm to our environment and wildlife. So keeping them out of our waterways is vital.
Of course, the easiest way to do that is by not using any fabrics that contain plastic. I would love to only wear clothes made from natural fibres.
But unfortunately, that’s not easy. Most clothes and other textiles you buy contain at least some plastic fabrics, such as nylon or polyester.
So we have to find other ways to reduce microfibre pollution. We have already seen that washing in lower temperatures and with shorter cycles helps.
There are other gadgets that you can use to keep microfibres out of our waterways:
- Laundry balls collect the plastic fibres in your machine, so you can bin them – reduces pollution by around 25%
- Washing bags contain the fibres in the bag, so you can dispose of them in the bin – reduces pollution by between 50% and 85%
- Microplastic filter attachments catch the fibres in the filter – reduces pollution by about 90%
7. Avoid Ironing Where Possible
I told you creating a sustainable laundry routine can save you time too. Ironing uses energy and isn’t always necessary.
There are people, mostly from an older generation, that iron bedsheets and underwear. Surely that is not necessary. Who will see the creases in your knickers?
Even t-shirts and jumpers don’t need ironing. Just hang them up to dry; the creases will disappear by themselves.
Also, think about it. As soon as you put a garment on and start moving, you get crinkles in it again. Besides, many clothes you can buy nowadays don’t need ironing, mostly because they contain plastic fibres that don’t crease.
It’s a question of preference again. But before you switch on the iron, consider what does and doesn’t need ironing.
8. Avoid Using Dry Cleaners
Many of us have special items that need to be dry-cleaned, like that really posh winter coat or that elegant dress or sleek suit.
The problem with dry cleaning is that the chemicals used are harmful to our environment. In fact, the same stuff that is also used to degrease metal.
Instead, try to handwash these special items with a gentle eco-friendly detergent. Then hang them up to dry to reduce the amount of crinkles.
Any stains can be removed by spot cleaning with a gentle product. I like to use a paste made of baking soda and water. Just rub it on, leave for 10 minutes, then wash it out by hand with water.
To avoid any dilemmas, you could try not buying anything that needs dry cleaning.
9. Get A More Energy Efficient Washing Machine
While I wouldn’t suggest you buy a new washing machine if your old one still works fine, when the time comes, look for one that has the highest energy efficient rating.
Newer models tend to use less water and less energy, which makes them better for the environment. Many also have a microfiber filter built in, which catches microfibres.
With a bit of luck, these will become mandatory in every washing machine sold in the UK. A bill requiring that has been introduced and is currently at the second reading stage in the House of Commons.
10. Look At Getting A Heat Pump Dryer
If using your tumble drier less is just not an option, it won’t keep you from creating a sustainable laundry routine.
All you have to do is invest in a heat pump dryer. They are more expensive than a normal dryer, but they use up to 60% less energy than a conventional one.
The difference between them is that traditional dryers release the hot air that they use to dry your laundry. And then they create new hot air.
A heat pump dryer reuses that heat and therefore needs less energy to run. It makes them still less sustainable than drying your clothes by hanging them outside, but it will help.
Conclusion
Creating a sustainable laundry routine is simple and easy. And it will also save you money and time, which is always a bonus.
Some of the changes required might need getting used to a bit, like not washing your clothes after every use.
But the most important thing is that these changes will help you to minimise your impact on our environment, which will help our planet.
So what are you waiting for? Make these changes today and be a step closer to living a more sustainable life.
Top-Rated Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergents For A Sustainable Laundry Routine
| Cleaning Products | Value For Money | Effectiveness | Sustainability | My Rating | Full Review | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excellent | Excellent | Outstanding | 4.90/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
| Outstanding | Excellent | Excellent | 4.90/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
| Great | Outstanding | Excellent | 4.85/5 | Read Review | Visit Website |
